Greeting card



Jan. 11, 1966 Filed Nov. 5, 1962 H. E. LOHNES GREETING CA'RD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Hon 420 f [om/5 Jan. 11, 1966 H. E. LQHNES 3,

GREETING CARD Filed Nov. 5, 1962 2 Sheets-$heet z ""M" "WM \QQQMM 2 o 36 57 as I I 24 26 I2 5 H 6/ 69 J INVENTOR.

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United States Patent i 3,228,138 GREETING CARD Howard E. Lohnes, Prairie Village, Kans., assignor to Hallmark Cards, Incorporated, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Nov. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 235,379 6 Claims. (Cl. 4634) This invention relates to greeting cards and more particularly to a foldable greeting card which when unfolded displays an ornament of expansible material secured to the foldable portions by intermediate members.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a greeting card having a base or side members foldable on a vertical fold line at substantially the center thereof and an expansible paper ornament secured to a partition of intermediate portions extending forwardly from the center line and foldable to lie flat when the card is closed and when opened expands so as to furnish an ornament to the card and also depicting, above the expansible member, a humorous character.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an ornament for a card in the form of an expansible member in which a plurality of sheets or plies of thin paper are assembled in a fiat pile or pack commonly referred to as honeycombing; to provide an ornamental card the main portion of which is cut from a single sheet of cardboard or relatively stiff paper; to provide a sheet of relatively stiff material in which various portions are cut out in varying shapes and positions and in which the sheet is scored or slotted to be folded to extend the sheet in different vertical and horizontal planes when erected, yielding effects of characters upon opening of the back and front cover of the card from a folded position; to provide a sheet of material cut and scored in a manner forming an intermediate portion or partition between the front and back cover to which an expansible ornamental member is attached; to provide the extension member or partition between the front and back cover with supporting members to which the expansible and decorative ma terial is attached forming an ornamental character, when the card is in an open position, and which will fold to lie fiat when in closed position in a vertical plane with the expansible member; to provide attaching members or portions for the expansible member and such portions having a base which will tend to support the card in open position and to provide a device of this character simple and economical to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the acompanying drawings, wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the card in open position with the expansible member and animated character shown therein. I

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the card in open position.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the card in partly closed position.

FIG. 5 is a plan or layout view of a sheet of relatively stiff paper for a form of card shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive.

Referring more in detail to the drawings.

1 designates a card embodying the features of my invention made from a sheet of material 2, such as cardboard or relatively stiff material, having when lying flat a transverse score line 3. A transverse score line 4 is spaced from the first score line 3. A score line 5 extends substantially midway between the side edges 6 and 6 of the sheet of material from the cutout portion 7 to the score line 3 as illustrated in FIG. 5. A slit 8 extends vertical- 3,228,133 Patented Jan. 11, 1966 "ice 1y midway of the sheet 2 from the bottom line thereof to the scored line 3, and forms edges 9 and 10 respectively of the front 9 and a back 10'.

FIG. 5 shows the back of the sheet 2. When the sheet of material 2 is folded, the portion above the scored line 3 is folded backwardly on the scored line 3 and then still referring to FIG. 5 the right and left hand sides are folded towards each other on the score line 5 to lie fiat against each other forming the front 9' and a back 10'.

The cardboard 11 and 12 between the transverse score lines 3 and 4 and on each side of the vertical score line 5 forms a partition and supporting members which, when the card is folded as above stated, will lie face to face and are secured together by a suitable means such as adhesive or the like as indicated at 11 to hold the members 11 and 12 together and the front and back members in card folding relation with the portions of said sheet outwardly of said partition forming decorative supporting members having upper and lower portions as later described.

The cardboard members or portions 13 and 14 extending outwardly from the score line 4 include means or supporting members for attachment of the expansible member and operation thereof and legs attached to the inside of the cover and inside of the back member for operation of the expansible member upon opening of the card. Each of the members 13 and 14 has legs 15 and 16 respectively formed by cutting the said portions and the portions 11 and 12 between the spaced scored line 3 and 4 as indicated at 17 and 18 (FIG. 5). These cutout portions extend across the score line 4 and are secured to the portions 13 and 14 by score lines 19 and 20. The free ends of the legs have scored. lines 21 and 22 spaced from the edges 23 and 24 forming feet 25 and 26 which are attached to the inside of the front and back members 9 and 10 by an adhesive or the like as indicated at 27 and 28 (FIG. 4) when the card is in formed position.

The members 13 and 14 also have tabs 29 and 30 formed by cutting across the score line 4 as shown in FIG. 5 and being hingedly secured. to the members 13 and 14 by score lines 31 and 32. These tabs are of irregular shape and are cut at an angle to the vertical score line 5, and also have score lines 33 and 34 spaced from the side edges 35 and 36 of the cutout portion or tabs forming flaps 37 and 38 which may be secured together by adhesive or the like as indicated at 39 to form the character 40 above the expansible member 41. The cutout portion 7 is of an irregular shape forming tabs 42 and 43 and rounded portions 44 and 45 which take the shape of ornamentations on each side of the character 40 which is depicted as a form of hippopotamus, the hippo head or the like, on which is imprinted eyes 46 and ears 47 and a nostril as indicated at 48. Teeth are formed by tabs 49 and 50 on the larger tabs 29 and 30 as illustrated in FIG. 5. The ornamentations 44 and 45 also form members for moving the character 40. Arms 52 and 53 are also provided by the cutout features which are somewhat circular in formation and have a portion of their free ends intricately formed with the members 44 and 45 as illustrated at 54 and 55 (FIG. 1). They also form somewhat of an ornamentation to the card when in an extended position.

The expansible, decorative member 41 is of honeycomb construction and such honeycomb is made substantially in accordance with US. Patent No. 2,974,434, and particularly the lines of juncture of the honeycomb structure extend perpendicular to the swinging axis of the pieces to which they are attached. The honeycomb structure is somewhat of a bell shape and has its respective sides 56 and 57 secured by adhesive or the like to that portion of the partition members above or outwardly of the score line 4 on the members 13 and 14. As illustrated in FIG. 2,

a portion of the honeycomb structure extends over openings 58 in the members 13 and 14, said openings being formed in the cutting of said members for making legs 15 and 16, and particularly the lower portion of the honeycomb structure is attached to the surface of the extended rounded portions 59 and 59 to about the vertical notches 60 and 61. The portions of the members 13 and 14 outwardly of the notches 60 and 61 and above the score line 4 form feet 62 and 63 for a support of the partition structure including the honeycomb ornamentation and the character as well as for the card itself when in an open position. The cutout portions 64 and 65 are merely for ornamentation and are shown in FIG. 1 between the arms 52 and 53 and the larger decorative portions 44 and 45.

In use of a card constructed and assembled as described, it is obvious that the honeycomb structure and character thereabove will lie in flat position when the card is folded and when open by movement of the cover and back away from each other, the legs 15 and 16 will open the honeycomb structure because of the joinder with the cover and back and being hingedly secured to the portions 13 and 14 of the sheet of material above the scored line 4. The tabs 37 and 38 being hingedly connected together by adhesive and the score lines 31 and 32 being hingedly connected to the members 13 and 14 when the card is open will cause the character 40 to open up or assume a wide position as illustrated in FIG. 1. When in upright position, the supports 11 and 12, and their extensions 62 and 63 will tend to hold the card in open position as well as the side edges 6 and 6 of the sheet of material as illustrated in FIG. which become the bottom edges 66 and '67 of the front and back members 9 and respectively as illustrated in FIG. 1. The bottom edges 68 and 69 will become the side edges 70 and 71 respectively. The edges 9 and 10, as formed by the slit 8, become the top edges 72 and 73 as illustrated in FIG. 1.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that I have provided an improved, animated greeting card made from a single sheet of material to which is added a honeycomb structure for decoration.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described one form of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A greeting card comprising,

(a) a one-piece sheet member having a pair of fiat members rotatable about an axis at their contiguous hingedly associated inner edges,

(b) said flat sheet members having inner surfaces facing one another when said fiat sheet members are rotated to fold one on the other,

(0) a partition member extending outwardly from said hingedly associated inner edges between said flat sheet members including two sheets and having longitudinal fold lines spaced from the hingedly associated inner edges of the sheet member, said two sheets being adhesively secured together between said inner edges and said fold lines, said two sheets outwardly of said fold lines forming support members having upper and lower portions adapted to lie in flat position when the card is in closed position,

(d) legs hingedly secured to said lower portion of said support members in spaced relation to said fold lines,

(e) feet on said legs adhesively secured to said flat sheet members in spaced relation to said hingedly associated inner edges of the sheet member,

(f) an expansible decorative member adhesively secured to the inner faces of said lower portion of said support members oppositely of said legs,

(g) flap members hingedly connected to the upper portion of said support members, said flap members having tab portions adapted to be secured together in alignment with said partition forming a character above said expansible decorative member, whereby upon opening of said card said legs will open said support members to display said expansible member and said character,

(h) and means on the lower portion of said lower support members to stabliize said card in upright position.

2. A greeting card comprising,

(a) a one-piece sheet member having a pair of fiat members rotatable about an axis at their contiguous hingedly associated inner edges,

(b) said fiat sheet members having inner surfaces facing one another when said flat sheet members are rotated to fold one on the other,

(c) a partition member extending outwardly from said hingedly associated inner edges between said flat sheet members including two sheets and having longitudinal fold lines spaced from the hingedly associated inner edges of the sheet member, said two sheets adhesively secured together between said inner edges and said fold lines, said two sheets outwardly of said fold lines forming support members having upper and lower portions adapted to lie in flat position when the card is in closed position,

(d) legs hingedly secured to said lower portion of said support members inspaced relation to said fold lines,

(e) feet on said legs adhesively secured to said flat sheet members in spaced relation to said hingedly assoicated inner edges of the sheet member,

(f) an expansible decorative member adhesively secured to the inner faces of said lower portion of said support members oppositely of said legs,

(g) flap members hingedly connected to the upper portion of said support members, said flap members having tab portions adapted to be secured together in alignment with said partition forming a character above said expansible decorative member, whereby upon opening of said card said legs will open said support members to display said expansible member and said character, and

(h) feet members on the lower portion of said support members outwardly of said fold lines to serve as a stabilizer of said card in upright position.

3. A greeting card comprising (a) a single sheet of cardboard material having inner surfaces facing one another and formed from a blank having side edges, a bottom edge and an irregular top edge said blank comprising,

(1) a first score line spaced from said bottom edge and extending parallel therewith,

(2) a second score line running parallel with the first score line between the first score line and the top edge, said sheet having a vertical slit midway between said side edges and extending from the bottom edge to said first score line, said sheet on each side of said slit and below said first score line forming the front and back of said card when the sheet is folded, said irregular top edge having a cut-out portion midway between the side edges,

(3) a vertical score line extending between said first score line and said cut-out portion, said sheet having a pair of cut portions extending vertically across said second score line spaced from said side edges and transverse cut portions joining said vertical cut portions forming a pair of legs hingedly attached to the portion of the sheet above said second score line, said sheet being folded on said first score line and then on said vertical score line and said slit forming a front and back for the card rotatable about an axis at their contiguous hingedly associated inner edges,

(4) said sheet between said first and second score lines except for said legs when folded into f ce to face contact being adhesively secured together forming a partition member with a leg on each side thereof and the portions of said sheet outwardly of said partition member forming a decorative member having upper and lower portions and inner facing portions,

(b) means securing said legs to the inside of said front and back of the card spaced from said hingedly associated inner edges,

(c) an expansible member adhesively secured to the inner faces of said lower portions of the decorative member,

(d) means on said upper portions of the decorative member hingedly joining the same together, whereby opening of said card will cause said legs to open said expansible member and said decorative member.

4. A greeting card comprising (a) a single sheet of cardboard material having inner surfaces facing one another and formed from a blank having side edges, a bottom edge and an irregular top edge said blank comprising,

(1) a first score line spaced from said bottom edge and extending parallel therewith,

(2) a second score line running parallel With the first score line between the first score line and the top edge, said sheet having a vertical slit midway between said side edges and extending from the bottom edge to said first score line, said sheet on each side of said slit and below said first score line forming the front and back of said card when the sheet is folded, said irregular top edge having a cut-out portion midway between the side edges,

(3) a vertical score line extending between said first score line and said cut-out portion, said sheet having a pair of cut portions extending vertically across said second score line spaced from said side edges and transverse cut portions joining said vertical cut portions forming a pair of legs hingedly attached to the portion of the sheet above said second score line, said legs having transverse score lines spaced from the free ends forming feet on said legs, said sheet being folded on said first score line and then on said vertical score line and said slit forming a front and back rotatable about an axis at their contiguous hingedly associated inner edges,

(4) said sheet between said first and second score lines except for said legs when folded into face to face contact being adhesively secured together forming a partition member with a leg on each side thereof and the portions of said sheet outwardly of said partition member forming a decorative member having upper and lower portions and inner facing portions,

(b) means securing said feet to the inside of said front and back of the card spaced from said hingedly associated inner edges,

(c) an expansible member adhesively secured to the inner faces of said lower portions of the decorative member,

(d) means on said upper portions of the decorative members hingedly joining the same together, Whereby opening of said card will cause said legs to open said expansible member and said decorative member.

5. The greeting card of claim 3 wherein the means on said upper portion of the decorative members hingedly joining the same together consists of tabs on each side of the vertical score line hingedly secured to said members and said tabs having flaps adhesively secured in face to face relation.

6. The greeting card of claim 3 wherein the expansible decorative member on the lower portion of the decorative members consists of a bell-shaped honeycomb structure adhesively secured to said members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 895,771 8/1908 Lackner 46-34 1,182,077 5/1916 Colucci 4634 1,196,500 8/1916 Wertz 40l24.1 1,794,466 3/ 1931 Lowenstein 4634 FOREIGN PATENTS 1906 Great Britain. 632,509 11/ 1949 Great Britain.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. 

3. A GREETING CARD COMPRISING (A) A SINGLE SHEET OF CARDBOARD MATERIAL HAVING INNER SURFACES FACING ONE ANOTHER AND FORMED FROM A BLANK HAVING SIDE EDGES, A BOTTOM EDGE AND AN IRREGULAR TOP EDGE SAID BLANK COMPRISING, (1) A FIRST SCORE LINE SPACED FROM SAID BOTTOM EDGE AND EXTENDING PARALLEL THEREWITH, (2) A SECOND SCORE LINE RUNNING PARALLEL WITH THE FIRST SCORE LINE BETWEEN THE FIRST SCORE LINE AND THE TOP EDGE, SAID SHEET HAVING A VERTICAL SLIT MIDWAY BETWEEN SAID SIDE EDGES AND EXTENDING FROM THE BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID FIRST SCORE LINE, SAID SHEET ON EACH SIDE OF SAID SLIT AND BELOW SAID FIRST SCORE LINE FORMING THE FRONT AND BACK OF SAID CARD WHEN THE SHEET IS FOLDED, SAID IRREGULAR TOP EDGE HAVING A CUT-OUT PORTION MIDWAY BETWEEN THE SIDE EDGES, (3) A VERTICAL SCORE LINE EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FIRST SCORE LINE AND SAID CUT-OUT PORTION, SAID SHEET HAVING A PAIR OF CUT PORTIONS EXTENDING VERTICALLY ACROSS SAID SECOND SCORE LINE SPACED FROM SAID SIDE EDGES AND TRANSVERSE CUT PORTIONS JOINING SAID VERTICAL CUT PORTIONS FORMING A PAIR OF LEGS HINGEDLY ATTACHED TO THE PORTION OF THE SHEET ABOVE SAID SECOND SCORE LINE, SAID SHEET BEING FOLDED ON SAID FIRST SCORE LINE AND THEN ON SAID VERTICAL SCORE LINE AND SAID SLIT FORMING A FRONT AND BACK FOR THE CARD ROTATABLE ABOUT AN AXIS AT THEIR CONTINUOUS HINGEDLY ASSOCIATED INNER EDGES, (4) SAID SHEET BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND SCORE LINES EXCEPT FOR SAID LEGS WHEN FOLDED INTO FACE TO FACE CONTACT BEING ADHESIVELY SECURED TOGETHER FORMING A PARTITION MEMBER WITH A LEG ON EACH SIDE THEREOF AND THE PORTIONS OF SAID SHEET OUTWARDLY OF SAID PARTITION MEMBER FORMING A DECORATIVE MEMBER HAVING UPPER AND LOWER PORTIONS AND INNER FACING PORTIONS, (B) MEANS SECURING SAID LEGS TO THE INSIDE OF SAID FRONT AND BACK OF THE CARD SPACED FROM SAID HINGEDLY ASSOCIATED INNER EDGES, (C) AN EXPANSIBLE MEMBER ADHESIVELY SECURED TO THE INNER FACES OF SAID LOWER PORTIONS OF THE DECORATIVE MEMBER, (D) MEANS ON SAID UPPER PORTIONS OF THE DECORATIVE MEMBER HINGEDLY JOINING THE SAME TOGETHER, WHEREBY OPENING OF SAID CARD WILL CAUSE SAID LEGS TO OPEN SAID EXPANSIBLE MEMBER AND SAID DECORATIVE MEMBER. 